Catching up - Weather, weather, weather!

Rain, rain, rain - it's been an incredibly rainy time in Anchorage -- and right after I told everyone that it really doesn't rain in Anchorage - in the two years that I'd been here, I'd never seen a downpour or even a steady rain.  It's a very dry climate here, and mostly when it's overcast or "rains," it's a drizzle or even a mist.  Not this year!

We've hiked a little in the rain or walked in between the drops, but it's not been really inspiring.  Brian's been working on a job for a couple of weeks, and Judy's work has been busy, so it's been easy enough to mostly work and fit in a little recreation along the way.  We've been yearning to go out on Kakwik, and the weather just hasn't been conducive.  Brian's friend, Carl, pulled the shrimp pots - the season was over on 9/15 - and I don't think we have NEARLY enough shrimp in the freezer!  We drove down to check on Kakwik on Sunday and had a very rainy and windy trip.  There have been high winds here along with the unusual storms, sometimes up to 100 mph or more -- not directly where our house is, but not far away.  Some homes have had power outages several times.

Saturday at least was one of the last days for the Farmer's Market - next Saturday will be the last of the outside markets at least!  Beet greens, swiss chard, celery, potatoes, carrots (potatoes and carrots are absolutely wonderful in Alaska!), even tomatoes (some unusual growing techniques here for fresh tomatoes), leeks!  I could take a picture of the potato-leek soup, but we've eaten it all!  Oh, and the Matanuska sharp cheddar cheese, which is expensive but only made about 20 miles from here and delicious! I'll miss the Farmer's Markets and always long for their return in May.

Brian was supposed to go fishing this week on the upper Kenai, but there has been so much rain and flooding that no boats were allowed on the water, and the trip was cancelled.  We missed out on the silver salmon this year, and we're hoping the Copper River reds last us through most of the winter.  We thought we would get more, and weather (high water) had even interfered with THAT fishing in May.

We joined a new workout routine, not really a gym, but a circuit-training place for skiers, and it is a tough 1 1/2 workout twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday after work.  After all, it's only a little over a month away probably to ski time!

Lastly, David Shipler, Pulitzer Prize winner is here this week to talk about his book, The Working Poor - great to work at a university and have access to so much!